The Invocations
By Author / Illustrator
Krystal Sutherland
Genre
Supernatural
Age range(s)
14+
Publisher
Hot Key Books
ISBN
9781471410932
Format
Paperback / softback
Published
30-01-2024
Synopsis
FIVE WOMEN ARE DEAD. The killer leaves no fingerprints, no DNA. Police are utterly stumped. In a world where only women can use magic and the men who know about it seek to eradicate them, three damaged young women - one cursed, one hunted, one out for revenge - will team up to track down and take out a brutal supernatural killer.
Jude Wolf is rich as sin and handsome as the devil. But she's also cursed. Her immortal soul is tethered to a rather hateful demon - and she wants the hell out of the deal. What Jude needs is a cursewriter - and she thinks the string of dead women, all of whom she suspects are messing with the occult, might just be able to lead her to one.
Zara Jones has also been tracking the murders since they began. Her older sister was the killer's first victim. Zara doesn't just want revenge, she wants to find a way to bring her sister back. What Zara needs is a witch, a sorcerer, a necromancer - in fact, what Zara needs is a cursewriter. At the apartment of the fifth victim, Jude and Zara meet by chance, and there they find a clue that brings their paths crashing together: a strange business card bearing three words. Emer Byrne. Cursewriter.
"A gorgeously twisted modern fairy tale that shimmers with magic and mystery" - Karen McManus, #1 New York Times bestselling author of One of Us Is Lying.
Find out more from author Krystal Sutherland
Reviews
Linda
FIVE WOMEN ARE DEAD. The killer leaves no fingerprints, no DNA. Police are utterly stumped. In a world where only women can use magic and the men who know about it seek to eradicate them, three damaged young women - one cursed, one hunted, one out for revenge - will team up to track down and take out a brutal supernatural killer...
The Invocations is a must-read book for 2024. It is a pacey read with lots of twists and turns and it has a dark, thought-provoking back-story at its core. The three protagonists need to find the killer for different reasons: Jude wants to rid herself of a curse and a hateful demon; Zara wants to raise her sister from the dead; and Emer wants to know why the killer's victims are the women that she has helped. Will they find the killer before they strike again? Will Jude get rid of the demon that is eating her from the inside? Can Zara really bring her sister back from the dead - and will there be consequences? Will Emer get the answers she needs to revenge the deaths of her whole family?
The Invocations is packed with demons, witchcraft, sinister beings, a gruesome killer and three well thought out protagonists. The book is only suitable for the 14+ reader due to the supernatural rollercoaster ride through the occult. However, the book does have its light moments with the witty banter between the teenage girls and a 'will they, won't they' same sex romance. It would also be a great book for book clubs as there are many discussion opportunities around the subject of witchcraft. A great book that has an excellent and unforgettable plot.
400 pages / Reviewed by Linda Brown, school librarian
Suggested Reading Age 14+
Morgan
In The Invocations, three young women join together to track down an unknown killer who is targeting women marked by magic. With five already dead, these three women must work together to find this unknown killer: Jude Wolf is cursed; Zara Jones is out for revenge; and Emer Byrne is a curse writer.
Emer the curse writer writes magical spells for women; this entails exchanging part of her clients' souls to demons in order for these women to become witches. In a world where only women may become witches, it causes jealousy among the men who cannot possess these powers and who decide these witches must be supressed.
The trio of young witches also discover that the string of victims have all bought their magic from Emer. Together with the help of Jude's wealth, Zara's critical thinking and Emer's witch expertise, they track, hunt and fight against this prolific killer.
This mythological novel blends advocating for women to take back their power, including the gentle side of a dash of queer romance, with genres such as horror, thriller, mystery, fantasy, science fiction and the supernatural.
The Invocations will have you anticipating the next page, unsure of where this tale may lead. It keeps readers on the edge of their seats with compelling leads combined with unexpected plot twists. This is a book that truly can't be put down until its finished. Sutherland has truly captivated readers with this novel just as she has done previously with novels such as House of Hollow.
400 pages / Reviewed by Morgan Harkin
Suggested Reading Age 14+
Dark and Shallow Lies
Mina and the Cult
The Undying of Obedience Wellrest
Killing the Dead
